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TMCnews Featured Article

August 17, 2011

AT&T and Digi Partner to Empower Consumers with Smart Grid Solutions

By Tammy Wolf, TMCnet Web Editor

As temperatures and consumption needs fluctuate throughout the year for most U.S. consumers, it’s become the norm to have little to no control over rising energy bills. But now, a new partnership between smarter utility leader AT&T (News - Alert) and energy efficiency services provider Digi is aiming to help people better manage their energy use and thus keep costs down.

AT&T and Digi have teamed up to deliver Digi X-Grid Solutions, a portfolio of products and services created to bring enhanced connectivity to energy-oriented devices found in homes and businesses. Delivered over the AT&T wireless network, which enables two-way communications for more than 13 million electric meters, Digi X-Grid Solutions will help consumers and businesses to decrease power use and monthly costs, thanks to up-to-date monitoring of thermostats, electronics, meters and more.

"Digi X-Grid Solutions, powered by AT&T's wireless network, move beyond the smart meter to provide innovative applications and devices for real-time insight into power consumption," said Chris Hill, vice president, Advanced Mobility Solutions, AT&T Business Solutions. "These services can help both utilities and their customers use energy more efficiently."

Part of the Digi X-Grid Solutions suite, Digi’s Energy Daytrader mobile application will enable consumers to remotely access their thermostats to monitor energy usage and remotely control their Smart Energy thermostats.

The Digi Energy Daytrader application can also be used to track energy-consuming devices, such as refrigerators, air conditioners and lamps. Using “smart plugs,” consumers can receive automatic alerts when consumption levels spike.

Meanwhile, Digi X-Grid Solutions’ comes packed with load control features to counteract major spikes in energy consumption. Consumers can significantly save on bills, and even garner credits, if they gave their utility company permission to remotely shut off discretionary devices, such as pool heaters. Moreover, the utilities can then route energy to where it’s needed most.

"Digi is a leader in providing energy efficient services to consumers and business owners by delivering an open platform for device connectivity," said Larry Kraft, senior vice president, Global Marketing and Sales, Digi International (News - Alert). "Fueled by the strength of AT&T's network services, Digi X-Grid Solutions help consumers make eco-friendly and cost-effective energy decisions and allow energy providers to improve the performance, load management and demand response capabilities of their smart grids."

To learn more about how AT&T is aiming to revise the U.S. electric grid, click here or stay tuned to the AT&T’s Smarter Utility community, exclusively on TMCnet.

To find out more about AT&T, visit the company at ITEXPO (News - Alert) West 2011. To be held Sept. 13-15 in Austin, Texas, ITEXPO is the world’s premier IP communications event. Don’t wait. Register now.

Tammy Wolf is a TMCnet web editor. She covers a wide range of topics, including IP communications and information technology. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.